Community College Pathways

Fifty-five percent of students who earn a teaching credential at CSU begin their path to teaching at a community college. CSU campuses work closely with California Community Colleges to prepare future teachers, with over half of students graduated by the CSU completing their lower-division work at a community college. 

Through Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT) pathways , community college students may take coursework that fulfills lower-division requirements and transfer to CSU fully ready for upper-division coursework that leads to a teaching career. 

For many years, Liberal Studies programs have had transfer patterns that are approved Associate Degree for Transfer pathways. These are closely aligned with CSU Elementary Subject Matter programs that prepare candidates for a Multiple Subject or Education Specialist teaching credential. 

These programs enable candidates to demonstrate subject matter proficienc​y by completing an approved program rather than passing the California Subject Examinations for Teachers (CSET) to demonstrate proficiency in the content areas they will taught.

Secondary credential programs have approved Associate Degree for Transfer patterns for teacher candidates at community colleges. These are in a major that is in the subject area to be taught and may be an Associate of Arts for Transfer (AA-T) or Associate of Sciences for Transfer (AS-T). These are often aligned with Subject Matter programs that enable candidates to demonstrate their proficiency in the subject area to be taught in lieu of taking CSET exams.